Wristband



L. J. WIESE Jan. 2, 1951 WRISTBAND Filed Nov. '23, 1945 om NN ow om INVENTOR LEONARD J. \MESE TM & TM

mrm o RT TOQN EYS Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to wrist bands and clasps therefor and especially to bands 01 that type adapted for use as decorative bracelets, wrist watch bands, etc.

The object of this invention is to provide a wrist band and clasp construction which is easy to clasp about the wrist and which is easy to remove from the wrist.

Another object is to provide a simplified clasp construction for a Wrist band having relatively few parts and being simple to clasp and unclasp.

Still another object is to provide, in combination with a clasp, a wrist band which is relatively stiff and which assists in maintaining the clasp in a closed position.

It is still another object to provide a wrist band and clasp therefor which is adjustable for different sized wrists and which may be made to conform to the contour of the wrist.

A still further object is to provide a wrist band and clasp so constructed that it may be applied or removed with one hand and which is positively retained in place.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrist band and clasp according to my invention attached to a wrist watch or similar article;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of my improved wrist band and clasp in its closed position;

Figures 3 and 4 show the wrist band and clasp in the process of being removed;

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 2 showing the construction of the clasp of this invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective View showing the clasp of this invention attached to a two-piece wrist band;

Figure '7 is a perspective View of another modification in which the clasp is formed as an integral part of the wrist band; and

Figure 8 is a view of a modified form of clasp constructed according to my invention.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 through 5, a wrist band according to my invention comprises a series of links pivoted together and pivotally secured to the watch or ornament which it is desired to place on the wrist. At the free ends of the band are pivotally secured the clasp members which, in cooperation with the band, form a complete wrist band and clasp.

The links pivoted together end to end form an articulated band which is flexible and easily conforms to the contour of the wrist but which is stiff against deformation transverse to the axis of the pivot pins. The stiffness of the band is utilized in latching the clasp and in retaining it closed.

The band is, however, yieldable transversely sufficiently to permit the clasp to be unlatched whereupon the wrist band may be removed from the arm.

In Figure 1 the watch or ornament is indicated at H3 and there is attached to either side thereof a link [2 whic-his pivotally secured to the said watch in any of the usual manners. The free ends of the links i2 comprise the truncated triangular notches M which receive the truncated triangular projections E6 of the link It. A pivot pin 20 extends through bores in the links l2 and I8 and pivotally secures the links together.

There may be a plurality of links t3 between the links H. adjacent the watch and the portions 22 and 24 of the clasp.

The portion 22 of the clasp comprises a boxlike member open at at least the edges 26 and 28 and having mounted therein the pin 30. The pin 39 may be secured to the lower surface of the portion 22 and extend toward but not through the top surface, or it may extend completely through both surfaces and be secured thereto by soldering, riveting or any other suitable means.

The portion 24 comprises a bar having notches 32 therein for receiving the pin 56. The bar 24 is of such a thickness as to be closely received within the portion 22 and both parts of the clasp may be curved to fit the contour of the wrist as indicated in Figures 2 through 5. Each of the notches 32 comprises a cam surface 34 and a recess 345 and the bar itself preferably has a cam nose at 38. Both the bar 24 and the portion 22 of the clasp are pivoted to the end links l8 of the bar by pins 20.

When the end of the bar 24 is placed in the open end 26 of the portion 22 and the parts of the clasp are urged toward each other, the pin 32 cams up the cam face 38 and falls into the first of the notches 32. If the pressure is continued the pin will ride ,up the cam face 34 of the first notch and fall into the second of the said notches. When pressure is released from the two parts of the clasp, the pin slides into the portion 33 of the notch in which it rests and the inherent stiffness of the wrist band maintains the clasp in closed position. It will be apparent that a wrist band and clasp of this type may be applied to the wrist with one hand by merely encircling the wrist with the band, engaging the cooperating parts of the clasp member 22 and 24 and thereafter urging the said clasp members together until the band closely engages the wrist.

In Figure 2 the band is shown as it would appear when clasped about a wrist.

To remove the wrist band from the wrist pressure is applied to opposite sides thereof as indicated by the arrows A and B in Figure 3. This causes the pin to ride up the cam surface of the notch with which it is engaged. Thereafter, transverse pressure is applied to the band either at or adjacent the portions of the clasp as indicated by the arrows C and D in Figure 4. The band being yieldable, the pin 33 is thus displaced from its slot and the releasing of the pressures at A and B will permit the band to fall open from about the wrist. It will be apparent that this can be most readily accomplished with the thumb and second finger of the other hand and that it rep.-

resents a series of deliberate steps of which there i is little chance of duplicating accidentally.

It will be apparent that the clasp according to this invention could be utilized with a band as shown in Figure 6 if it were not necessary that the band be flexible. In Figure 6 the wrist band comprises the two portions and 42 which are pivoted at one end to the watch ill and which have pivoted at their other ends the portions 22 and 2d of the clasp of this invention. The portions 4-8 and 42 form a band which may be made to conform to the contour of the wrist and which is suiiiciently yieldable transversely to permit the clasp. to be disengaged. At the same time the band resists bendingtransversely sufiiciently to maintain the clasp relatively positively engaged.

In Figure? there is illustrated a still further modification wherein the clasp is formed integrally with the wrist band. In Figure 7 the band comprises the parts 44 and 4B which are pivoted to the watch H The opposite end of the portion M is formed into an open sided box configuration as at 22a and comprises the pin 39a. The free end of the portion 45 is formed into a series of notches 32a adapted selectively to engage the pin 30a. similarly'as the notches 32 engage the pin 30.

In attaching the band as shown in Figure '7 it is onlynecessary to bring the ends of the portions 44 and 46 together and to apply pressure thereto. In removing the band, pressure both longitudinal and transverse is applied to disengage the pin 30a from notches 32a while the band is being opened.

In Figure 8 there is illustrated a modified form of clasp wherein the notched end portion 50 of the clasp has a plurality of notches 52 extending along about one-half the length thereof. The notches 52 are adapted selectively for engagement with a pin 54 carried in the open sided box portion 56 of the clasp. The arrangement in Figure 8 is such that none of the notches 52 are ever exposed when the band-is secured about a Wrist.

Instead of providing a plurality of notches in the latch bar of the clasp, there could be provided diiferent sizes of links i2 and I8 which, when properly selected, would give a band of approximately the correct circumference. Then, a smaller clasp having possibly only two notches would probably suffice for securing the band to a wrist.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A wrist band comprising band portions connected together adapted to lie about a wrist with their free ends adjacent, said band portions being flexible in a plane normal to the axis of the wrist band to permit the free ends to be brought into longitudinal alignment but which is resistant to axial displacement of said free ends, and clasp means for retaining said band in its closed position comprising a first member and a bar member of substantially the same width as said band portions, said firstmember having a channel extending longitudinally through the same and open at one side and one end thereof and the other sicleclosed and enterable by said bar member from said one open side and said one end, said bar member having a thickness complementary to said channel and having lateral notches therein opening toward the closed side of said channeland inclined toward the free end of'said bar member, said first member having a pintherein extending through said channel between its opposite faces and selectively engageable in said notches, said pin and notch means forming a ratchet that is normally retained in locking engagement by the axial stiffness of said band and which is disengageable by applying lateral pressure to said members in axially opposite directions for complete release of said bar member from said first member by lateral movement only.

LEONARD J. WIESE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,313,843 Trommer Aug. 19, 1919 2,164,197 Beaupre June 27,1939

FOREIGN PATENTS.

Number Country Date 8,669 Germany Aug. 11, 1902 280,125 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1927 

